This January, 70 women from the U.C. Berkeley School of Law came to Bank of the West’s headquarters in San Francisco to hear Vanessa Washington, our general counsel and corporate secretary, give her perspective on what it takes to succeed in a high-profile position in the banking industry.

[1]

Vanessa, a Berkeley Law alumna with a passion for community service[2], talked about her career path from growing up in a rural town of 1,700 in North Carolina to her current role as a senior leader at a major U.S. corporation. She also had advice for up-and-coming lawyers.

“Volunteer for assignments that will help you gain the qualifications you need for your dream job, and don’t be afraid to go after a job even if you don’t check every box – men have been doing that forever!” she said. “Get out of your office and prioritize having lunch or coffee with colleagues or others outside of your company – building your network can be as important as your work product. Good work alone is not enough to get ahead.”

Vanessa’s talk was part of The Women in Business Law Initiative Mentorship Program[3], a collaboration between the Berkeley Center for Law and Business (BCLB), the Women of Berkeley Law Association, Women of Color Collective, and the Berkeley Business Law Journal. The program matches first-year law students interested in business law with female associates from BCLB partner firms and organizations.

An insider’s view
The program provides attorneys the opportunity to cultivate relationships with some of the brightest law students the country has to offer – women who often advance to positions of influence throughout the worlds of business and law. The relationships and trust they establish can help them flourish in their own careers. Students benefit from the advice of professional attorneys, and the mentoring attorneys gain a valuable contact in their mentee.

Maureen Young, a Berkeley Law alumna and senior regulatory counsel at the bank, has been a supporter and mentor in the program. “The Women in Business Law Initiative sets UC Berkeley apart from other schools by offering direct matching of female students with working professionals for mentorship, support and an insider’s view,” she said.

The equity equation
According to a recent study from the Pew Research Center, only 4.8% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women.[4] “We’re helping to address the issue of gender equity in the workplace on a concrete and individual scale,” said Delia Violante who leads the Women in Business Law Initiative. “With support from companies like Bank of the West, our students are able to seek feedback from legal professionals who will help them to make better-informed decisions regarding their class selection and overall career path.”

With women representing 33% of the bank’s top leadership[5], and with one of the few female CEOs in the financial services industry, we understand the value of gender equity and mentorship.

Securities and variable annuities are offered through BancWest Investment Services, a registered broker/dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC, and SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Financial Advisors are Registered Representatives of BancWest Investment Services. Fixed annuities/insurance products are offered through BancWest Insurance Agency in California, (License #0C52321), and through BancWest Investment Services, Inc. in all other states where it is licensed to do business. This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where we are not authorized to do business. Bank of the West and its various affiliates and subsidiaries are not tax or legal advisors.

BancWest Investment Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of the West. Bank of the West is a wholly owned subsidiary of BNP Paribas. In South Dakota, Bank of the West operates under the name Bank of the West California.

Submit an Idea

[contact-form-7 id="32" title="Share An Idea"]

You are leaving the Bank of the West Change Matters site. Please be aware: The website you are about to enter is not operated by Bank of the West. Bank of the West does not endorse the content of this website and makes no warranty as to the accuracy of content or functionality of this website. The privacy and security policies of the site may differ from those practiced by Bank of the West.
To proceed to this website, click OK, or hit Cancel to remain on the Bank of the West Change Matters site.